The Provision of God - Philippians 4:10-23

Introduction

Read Philippians 4:10-23

Philippians 4:10–23 (ESV)

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

We are living in some difficult times. The economy is currently in a recession. We have just witnessed the bailout of the Silicon Valley bank because they could not cover all the assets and possessions of their customers. Costs of natural resources and even many of our daily necessities are rising.

It can become overwhelming to see how we can continue to have joy in a world that is increasingly becoming harder to live in.

Things were not that much different for Paul and the Philippians and this is where Paul is going to end his letter for them. He wants them to find the joy of living in God’s provision for them and to keep pressing on in obedience in spite of the difficulties surrounding them.

Joy is Finding Contentment in God’s Provision (vv. 10-13)

Philippians 4:10–13 (ESV)

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Paul is expressing thanks to the Philippians for their gift, but he also wants them to know that his joy is not dependent upon their gift, but upon the contentment he has in all situations.

What is contentment?

It is defined as a “state of happiness or satisfaction.”

A. You cannot find true Contentment in sheer will or determination

The Stoics believed that “man should be sufficient unto himself for all things, and able, by the power of his will, to resist the force of circumstances.”

In other words, they would say, “the happy man is content with his present lot, no matter what it is, and is reconciled to his circumstances.”

They believed each person was independent and needed only to depend upon themselves to find satisfaction in themselves. We might say, “buck up and deal with it.” “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

But this is not what Paul has in mind when he talks about being content in all situations. It is not his self-dependence to make the best of all situations.

B. True contentment can only be found in Christ

Philippians 4:13 (ESV)

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

This strength in v. 13 is strength to accept whatever God is calling us to

Not the strength to do whatever it is we want

For Paul, this strength allows him to face whatever situation God calls him to walk through

Paul can face times of abundance without turning to idolizing his abundance

Paul can also face hunger, not worrying about what is going to happen next

Why?

Because Christ provides the strength to overcome his situations

C. Contentment in Christ requires developing our relationship with Christ and paying attention to how He is working for us now so we can look back in remembrance later

Paul’s experiences

Paul said he has experienced both abundance and need.

His need:

1 Corinthians 4:11–13 (ESV)

To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.

2 Corinthians 4:8–12 (ESV)

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

2 Corinthians 6:4–5 (ESV)

but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;

2 Corinthians 11:24–27 (ESV)

Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

His abundance

We might not know as much about these times, but we can imagine what some of them might be.

When he was originally in Philippi, there were likely great feasts in homes of people like Lydia and even the Jailer who came to Christ because of Paul’s testimony.

There were probably other times in places like Ephesus and Corinth where Paul enjoyed the company of friends and the goodness of God’s creation.

In both situations, Paul remained content in Christ, no matter what he faced.

We must cultivate an intimate growing relationship with Christ to find this kind of contentment.

We must continually meet with one another for encouragement and reminders of who we are in Christ.

We must spend regular time in prayer and devotion to God’s Word to help us keep our eyes focused on Christ and on His goodness to us.

We should also find ways to record the ways God has provided for us in both good and difficult circumstances.

Joshua and the Israelites set up stones of remembrance after crossing the Jordan to remind themselves of God’s miraculous provision to carry them through the wilderness into the land promised for them.

Giving is Trusting in God’s Provision (v. 18-19)

Philippians 4:18–19 (ESV)

I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Because the Philippians were willing to give, Paul wanted to assure them of God’s faithful and continual provision for them.

A. Giving is an act of trust in God

It is trusting God that all we have comes from Him

Giving is an act of trusting that God will take care of all our needs, not myself

B. God will meet all your needs

This does not mean He will meet all of our desires or

Even what we think we need

God will meet what he knows our true needs are, physical, emotional, spiritual, etc.

C. God will meet our needs according to His riches in Christ

God’s wealth and riches are infinite, so there is no limit to the provision He can provide

He has already met our infinite needs in Christ’s work on the cross

But His gracious character goes even above and beyond our spiritual needs for salvation

D. God offers for us to try Him out on this…

Malachi 3:10 (ESV)

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

God is willing to show you how good and faithful he is to provide for you if you will be willing to trust him and give. We actually rob ourselves if the blessing of getting to see God work when we hold back.

Seeking the True Treasure of God’s Provision (vv. 14-17, 20)

Philippians 4:14–17 (ESV)

Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.

Philippians 4:20 (ESV)

To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Paul is once again expressing his gratitude to both God and to the Philippians that God has met his needs through the obedience and love of the Philippian church.

But Paul is thankful, not for the gift itself, but for the fruit that is produced within the lives of the believers because of their giving.

A. When we give, God provides the Fruit of Faith

What we mean here is not that the act of giving produces salvation, but that when we give, we get to experience God’s provision in our lives, and through that experience we grow in our trust in Him.

Again, giving is an act of trusting that God is good and will meet all our needs in Christ. When we give more often, we get to experience God’s provision more frequently which helps us to grow in our faith in Him.

This act of giving is helping us to learn how to be content in all situations.

When life is flowing in abundance, we give because we recognize that all of our possessions belong to God.

When life is hard and there is not much and we can only give a few coins, we are growing in trust that God will provide for needs we cannot meet for ourselves.

B. When we give, God provides the fruit of the Gospel

Paul is excited for their gift, not so much because it benefits himself, but because it is helping him further the ministry of the gospel to others.

When we think of fruit, we often think of the fruit of character, like the fruit of the spirit, love, joy peace, patience, etc.

But there is also the fruit of spreading the gospel. The fruit of having others come to a saving knowledge of Christ Jesus that God has purposed for us.

The Philippians are getting to share in Paul’s ministry through their gift. They have an impact in the work of the Gospel beyond their physical presence. So when the Gospel goes forth and people hear and respond, that fruit is to the credit of the Philippians dedication to support the work God is doing through Paul.

When the Philippians gave to Paul’s ministry, they were essentially saying, God’s work in furthering the Gospel is more valuable to us than building up our own lives and possessions, and they were getting to see God provide for them in that way.

We have several ways we can give to the work of the Gospel here too.

We are all called to give towards the work of the church here. As we give our tithes and offerings, those gifts are going forth to help us as a church minister to those in our community. Part of that money also goes on to our Cooperative Program which supports the work of the Gospel throughout the state of New Mexico and to the rest of the world.

All next month we will be taking up the Annie Armstrong Offering which supports missionaries through North America. When you give to that offering, you are getting to share in the fruit of the Gospel. When someone comes to know Christ, or when someone is sent out to preach the Gospel, you are sharing in that work.

Today, we are raising funds to help send our students to camp. That money will be used to help our students hear and know the gospel and to grow in their relationships with Christ. When you give, you are bearing the fruit that God produces.

While God certainly doesn’t need us, He chooses to work in and through us.

When we give, by faith in Christ, to the work of the ministry, we can have the assurance that God will provide the fruit of the Gospel in and through us.

C. Generosity and giving are a sign and response of salvation in the believer’s life

As believers in Christ, we should recognize all that God has given to us beginning with the gift of Christ.

We understand that as Christ has generously given His life to us, we cannot help but generously give to others, trusting that God will continue to provide for us as we do so.

As we grow in our relationship with Christ, there are three areas where we should be bearing fruit by giving generously as we seek to trust God to provide what we need:

Give your Treasures

This is the one in which Paul has been addressing in this passage.

We give of our treasures because we recognize that all we have belong to God.

Zacchaeus

Zacchaeus was a man who lived a life of rebellion and opposition to God as a tax collector who took well more from people than what he should. He became rich off of the money he stole from others.

However, Christ demonstrated His love for Zacchaeus and spent time with him. Zacchaeus experienced the love and generous grace of Christ and it changed him.

While there was nothing he could do to earn salvation, his salvation led him to give back to those whom he had hurt and stolen from. The generosity of the grace of Christ led Zacchaeus to give half of what he owned to the poor and out of the other half, he gave back four times what he had wrongfully stolen from others.

While it is God’s grace alone that saves, God’s grace is going to produce fruit in keeping with repentance. It will bear the fruit of trusting in God.

Part of our obedience to Christ and a sign of our salvation is found in the act of giving what already belongs to God back to Him.

We as a church are called to share our resources for the sake of the ministry.

It’s not that God needs our resources and money. He doesn’t. But He does call us to trust in Him and to share in this work together. God doesn’t need us to give, but He invites us to share in the blessing of giving towards the work of the Gospel. You and I cannot afford to miss out on the blessings God intends for those who trust Him and surrender their treasures to Him for His work to share the Gospel.

This starts with, but is not limited to our giving towards the church and what God is doing through the church.

But it might include giving to someone in need so you can show the love of Christ to them. It might include giving to help relieve the financial burden of someone going through medical hardship.

Give your Time

But not only do we have treasures we can give, we can also give of our time, which is part of God’s provision. We have focused quite a bit on giving of our resources, which is a part of our obedience to God.

But we can also give of our time, without neglecting the giving of our resources/treasures.

It might be as simple as helping to watch babies in the nursery or listening to kids recite their verses in Awana. It might be choosing to pray for VBS or helping to prepare snacks for the kids.

Maybe it is simply taking the time to make a phone call to someone in need or to sit down and visit with someone who is hurting.

Give your Talents

Closely related to our time is the giving of our talents.

If we are a believer, we are called to use the spiritual gifts God has given to us for the benefit of the church.

If you are gifted in hospitality, use your gift to reach out to neighbors, to have a dinner with them and to share your hope in Christ.

If you are gifted in teaching God’s Word, the church is always looking for people who can and are willing to teach others.

Whatever our gifting, you can be a part of the work of the ministry and trust that God will give you what you need to do what He is calling you to do.

Conclusion